Summer Picnic July 15 2018

Date

Jul 15, 2018

Time

10:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Type

WRS – Washington Regency Society

Location

Lakewold Gardens
12317 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499

Details

WRS group at Lakewold Gardens

Please join us for our annual picnic at beautiful Lakewold Gardens. The Gardens are located in Lakewood and are part of an historical estate on Gravelly Lake. The picnic is potluck, and we would like to make this a Regency picnic.

The start time of 10:30 is flexible, but we suggest arriving by noon so you may enjoy the picnic, activities, and the beautiful gardens. We will have period games to play, a tour of the property, and delicious foods to try.

WRS will not be collecting the entrance fees for this event, so bring your entrance fee with you. This will be between $7 to $10 (new staff are still determining this) and payable as you enter. You will also need to bring your own picnic basket, blanket, and dinnerware, as well as your potluck dish and beverage of choice. You may bring other activities to do as you wish. (In the past members have brought historic style croquet sets and graces games.)

Members playing Graces at the WRS picnic at Lakewold 2017

WRS Playing croquet at Lakewold Gardens

A REGENCY PICNIC

Our annual Lakewold Picnic is a beautiful and popular event. The idea of being out of doors, being “rustic”, was a very popular pastime during the Regency period. Although picnics were sometimes the picnic basket on a blanket that we think of today, it was often a more gentile event with your footman carrying a table and chairs out to the field, along with your crystal and china.

The food served at a Regency picnic was a little different from what we think of today. Various meats such as ham, lamb, or chicken were sliced and served cold. Fruit tarts and cakes, as well as fresh fruit, especially berries, were also popular. To drink there was wine or lemonade. One of the more interesting dishes was a salad called Salamagundi. It was made using everything from anchovies, eggs, pickles, meat, and lettuce all artistically arranged.

WRS Picnic

The BBC produced a series called Regency House Party in 2003. The picnic that they held was a lovely affair. “Accompanied by a footman, the women strolled through the little wooded valleys, over a footbridge, across a stream and through the long grass and wild flowers of a meadow until they reached a little copse, where they came upon a rustic cottage. Strewn across the grass were rose petals and hanging in the trees were streamers and ribbons of pink and white.” Lovely indeed, but then so is Lakewold gardens. (Quote from Regency House Party by Lucy Jago.)

Watch for more information on food and picnic activities.

If you would like to register for the picnic please enter your information below. We would like to know how many are coming and will send a reminder the week before. We are not charging in advance for the picnic – you will pay the garden admission fee yourself that day.